Waltham Forest offers a programme of support to assist New Heads in laying the foundations for future success. This mentoring scheme recognises that head teachers who are new to the Local Authority, new to headship or in an acting head teacher role may not have established a network of contacts within the borough that will enable them to know who to turn to as situations arise that are new to them. The aim of the head teacher mentoring and support programme is to ensure that the target group of newly appointed head teachers receive support from an experienced and suitably trained head teacher colleague during their first year in post. This partnership will equip them with the skills required to make their first headship a success.